ATL94LA160

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172 · Pine Mountain, GA · August 26, 1994

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 26, 1994, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
Place
Pine Mountain, GA
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N6650ACessna 172
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report February 24, 1995
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19940826023759A
Case key
3436

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate compensation for existing wind conditions, and his failure to maintain both airspeed and clearance from a fence. Factors were the tailwind and the gusts which existed at the time of the accident.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

In flight collision with objectGo-around (vfr)
Object - fence
Weather condition - tailwindFactor
Weather condition - gustsFactor
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Clearance - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterGo-around (vfr)

Analysis

The private pilot was performing a simulated engine-out approach to a grass farm field. He executed a go around, and a gust of wind was encountered as the aircraft approached a barbed wire fence at the perimeter of the field. The nose gear snagged the top two strands of barbed wire, and the aircraft came to a stop. The pilot later reported that a slight tail wind existed, and he allowed the aircraft to lose too much airspeed to safely abort the simulation.

Factual narrative

On August 26, 1994, at 1130 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N6650A, collided with a barbed wire fence during a go-around at a private, grass farm field near Pine Mountain, Georgia. The aircraft was substantially damaged, and the pilot had serious injuries. The aircraft was operated under 14 CFR Part 91 by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the local, personal flight. The flight originated at La Grange, Georgia, at 1100.

The pilot reported that he was performing a simulated engine-out landing, with full flaps extended. The approach was flown to an open, grassy farm field. He executed a go around, and gust of wind was encountered as the airplane approached a barbed wire fence at the perimeter of the field. The nose gear contacted the top two strands of the fence wire, and the aircraft came to a stop. The pilot also reported that the engine performance during the approach and go-around was normal. He subsequently reported that a slight tail wind existed, and he allowed the aircraft to lose too much airspeed to abort the simulation.

Aircraft

Registration
N6650A
Reported as
Cessna 172
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28750
Airframe hours
3,427
Engine
Continental O-300-A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Orr, Jesse W.
Registered owner
Orr, Jesse W.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility; Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
100 hour · July 27, 1994 · 43 hours before
Departed
LGC · Lagrange, GA

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
32
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
288 total · 280 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
81 °F, dew point 64 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
CSG, 20 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N6650A · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.